Crowdfunding for investors and entrepreneurs
Let me start out by saying that the SEC hasn’t finalized all of its rules on crowdfunding. Under the JOBS Act of 2012, the SEC is to set rules allowing businesses to attract investments from small investors. The model is Kickstarter, but with one huge difference: Kickstarter does not raise investment capital. Instead, the funds [...]
Donor-advised funds increase in 2012
Donor-advised funds are major players in the charity world. These are foundation funds managed by an outside organization (often a community foundation), but the person who donates the money chooses what charities will receive the money. The National Philanthropic Trust reported on the results of these funds last year, and the news was good. Assets [...]
The Basics of Social Impact Bonds
There’s an interesting new development in the endless search for yield: the Social Impact Bond. The idea is that the bond will finance a charitable program, and the investors will be repaid if the program hits its goals. There’s a lot of talk about it, although very few of these bonds have actually been issued, [...]
Is 2013 the Year of Social Investing?
I’ve been receiving a lot of press releases from different socially responsible money managers and research firms, filled with lots of enthusiasm about the new year. And you know what? I think they are on to something, and here’s why: First, the stock market in general is up. That will bring in some investors who [...]
Listen to me on the Conscious Discussions radio show
Listen to internet radio with Lillian Brummet on Blog Talk Radio If you are so inclined, you can listen to my discussion with Lillian Brummet of Conscious Discussions Radio this week. Enjoy!
Pussy Riot, Emerging Markets, and Social Investing
Punk’s not dead in Russia, although it will be going to prison for a while. Three members of the band Pussy Riot have been sentenced to two years in prison for a protest against both Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church. Whether or not you agree with them, their protest would be legitimate in [...]
Dummies in a Day Giveaway
My publisher, the wise people at Wiley, have a new e-book line called Dummies in a Day. To promote them, they are holding a $500 giveaway. I don’t have ebooks included, as I’m not sure I have any topics that could be learned in a day. But while you are over at Dummies.com, you could [...]
Cato’s Problems and Nonprofit Structure
The Washingtonian Magazine has a long story about management tensions at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think-tank. The most interesting part, to me, was this tidbit: the Cato Institute has shareholders because Kansas corporation law allows non-profits to have a corporate ownership structure. That’s really unusual. A typical non-profit organization is “owned” by its donors [...]
What Happened at Facebook, Anyway?
The Facebook IPO had problems, but they are not especially unique. The problem, really, is that it has been so long that we’ve had a lot of IPOs that everyone has forgotten how they work. Way back in my investing banking days, I worked for a firm that was a dot-com bubble IPO factory. (Alas, [...]
Women Need to Stop Opting Out of “Hard” Subjects, Like Finance
This is a manifesto for a Sunday. And it’s a big one, so pay attention: Girls can do math. It is okay to get a low grade in math. Math opens the doors to many well-paying careers. STOP SELF-SELECTING OUT OF GREAT OCCUPATIONS JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HAVE A 4.0!!!!!!! AND STOP BRAGGING ABOUT [...]
